Heat up the olive oil in a large pot.

Add the onions, celery and garlic and sauté on a low heat for 8 minutes.

Add in the thyme, paprika, salt and pepper and sauté for another 5 minutes until all the ingredients are soft and fragrant.

Add in the diced tomatoes, chickpeas, tomato paste and water and stir to mix.

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from stove and blend the soup using either a stick blender or jug blender. For a chunky soup, blend / pulse to allow some chunks to remain. For a smooth soup, blend until it’s fully smooth (a jug blender will give you a smoother soup, while an immersion blender is better for giving you a chunkier one).

Serve hot with fresh herbs or fresh bread.